Attachment for electric light globes



Dec, 13, 1949 A I 2,491,376

ATTACHMENT FOR ELECTRIC LIGHT GLOBES Filed Nov. 6, 1947 Patented Dec. 13, 1949 ATTACHMENT FOR ELECTRIC LIGHT GLOBES Harold Hartman, New York, N. Y.

Application November 6, 1947, Serial No. 784,340

2 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in attachments for electric light globes and the like.

The usual electrical fixture adapted for the insertion of an electric light globe comprises a housing designed to be fitted over the electrical outlet and provides support for the electric light socket into which the usual electric light bulb is screwed while a collar around the bulb is provided for the insertion of the globe. The usual practice has been to support the globe by screws through the collar, which hold the globe under pressure. Globes under pressure subjected to high temperature and the necessity for a tool to remove the globe brought forward suggested improvements in the attaching means which have failed to gain widespread recognition due to relatively complicated mechanism resulting in substantially high production costs.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an attachment of simple construction and substantially low manufacturing cost.

Other objects of the instant invention will become apparent in the course of the following specification.

In the attainment of these objections a collar of suitable diameter is inserted in the electrical fixture in lieu of the globe and held therein by the screws usually employed to hold the globe. The base of the collar is turned outwardly to form a substantially horizontal rim under the electrical fixture. The outside periphery of the horizontal rim is turned downwardly to form a substantial housing for the subsequently described gripping mechanism. While other forms of construction are, of course, possible, in the interests of durability, the gripping mechanism comprises at least one ring, one gripping member, two spacers, and a retaining ring. The first ring is inserted under the horizontal rim of the collar and is of substantially the same diameter, on the base of the ring at least two spacers are disposed with sufiicient space therebetween to permit insertion of the globe gripping member. The retaining ring is rotatably secured to the bottom surface portion of the spacers and globe gripping member which is adapted to move radially between the spacers. To obtain radial movement for the globe gripping member, a slot is formed therethrough at an angle to the collar radius so that a stud attached to the top surface portion of the retaining ring and inserted in the slot will move the globe gripping member in and out of the collar when the retaining ring is rotated. Sufficient rotation for the retaining ring to move the globe gripping member is obtained by forming a slot therein of substantially the same degree of curvature and having a co-acting stud attached therethrough secured to the horizontal rim with washer between the ring and retaining ring and cap over the end of the stud.

A spiral spring attached to the rotatable retaining ring and ring is so inserted as to automatically maintain the globe gripping member within the collar while a handle attached to the rotatable retaining ring and passing through a slot in the turned down. rim of the attachment provides a means for rotating the retaining ring and moving the globe gripping member outside of the collar for the release or insertion of the globe.

The invention will appear more clearly from the following detailed description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings showing by way of example a preferred embodiment of this invention.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is an elevational view of the attachment constructed in accordance with the prin-- ciples of this invention.

Figure 2 is a sectional view on the line 2--2 of Figure 1, enlarged.

Figure 3 is a sectional view on the line 33 of Figure 2, also enlarged.

Figure 4 is a bottom view of the attachment shown in Figure 1 with components in proper position for insertion or removal of globe.

Referring now in greater detail to the drawings in which like reference numerals indicate like parts, reference numeral l 0 indicates the attachment, H the electrical fixture adapted for insertion of the globe, and I2 the globe.

In prior practice, the top of the globe I2 is inserted in the base of the electrical fixture II and held in place under pressure of the screws [3 threaded through the rim at the base of the fixture. In accordance with the principles of this invention, the top M (Fig. 3) of the attachment I 0 is inserted in lieu of the globe and held in place by the same screws [3.

The attachment in (Fig. 3) comprises the top or collar M, the substantially horizontal rim 15 the outside periphery of which is turned downwardly to form the members It.

On the bottom surface portion of the horizontal rim I5 is the bottom ring ll. While, of course, the attachment [0 could be made to operate without the ring I! it is used primarily to form a more rigid and durable mechanism.

On the bottom surface portion of the ring I! are the spacers [3 (Figs. 2 and 4) which may be extruded circular protuberances or separate p0?- tions secured to the bottom surface portions of the ring H by any suitable means.

Between the spacers la the globe gripping members I9 are inserted for radial movement in and out of the collar. The degree of curvature of the outside edge of the globe gripping members i9 is the same as that of the collar and globe although only one point of contact with the globe is essential.

The radial movement of the globe gripping first one and the other edges thereof moves the 1 globe gripping member IS in and out of the (201-,

lar l4 as later shown.

The radial movement of the globe gripping members l9 provided through the stud 20, is fur-' ther accomplished by giving the retaining ring 2| suificient rotation to completely move the globe gripping members 19 in and out ofthe collar. The rotation of the retaining ring 2| is accomplished throughthe slots 23having substantially the same degree of curvature as the other components co-acting with the studs .24 adapted for insertion therethrough. The studs 24, if desired, may be secured to the rim, l thence through an aligned aperture in thering l1v followed by a separating member and thence through the aligned slot 23 in retaining ring 2| which is made rotatable by securing the cap 25 over the end thereof.

In order to move the globe gripping members in and out of the collar 14 as desired, the handle member 25 isprovided and attached to the retaining ring 2|. The slot 21 (Fig.- 1) in the turned down edge I 6 provides an aperture for insertion of the handlemember therethrough and a con enient means for rotating the retaining ring 2|.

In order to mainta n the globegripping members automatically within the collar 14, the spiral sprin s 28 are attached at one end to the retaining ring 2| and at the opposite end to, the ring I! or the like when. the said members: are within the said collar M so that when the handle member 26 is rotated moving the globegripping members l9 within the collar 14, the spiral sprin s 28 are placed under tension to again move the globe rip ing members within the collar and against the globe.

It is a parent that the specific illustrations shown above have been given by way of illustration and that the structures above described are subject to wide variation and modification without de artin from the scope or intent of the prese t invention, all of which variations and mo ifications are to be included within the scope of the present invention.

What is claimed is:

1. An attachment for an electric light globe in combination with an electric light fixture ada ted for insertion of the globe, the attachment comprising a collar adapted to be inserted in the fixture in lieu of the globe, a substantially horizontal rim around-the outs de of the collar at the base, the periphery of the rim being turned downwardly; thev attachment further comprising at least one bottom ring of substantially the same diameter as the rim, at least two spacers disposed on the bottom surface portion of the bottom ring, at least one globe gripping member, at least one rotatable retaining ring, means attaching the bottom ring to the bottom surface portion of the rim; the attachmentfurther comprising means radially moving the globe gripping member in and out .of the collar between the spacers comprising at least one slot in the globe gripping member, a co-acting stud on top surface portion of therotatable. retaining ringinserted in the slot, the center line of the slot being at a;

sufiicient angle to the radius of the collar-to permit the globe gripping member to be moved substantially in and out of the collar; the attachment further comprising means rotatably attaching the retaining-ring, to the bottom ring comprisingaslot in the retaining ring, the slot having substantially the same degree of curvature as the retaining ring, at least one stud disposed on the bottom surface portion of the bottom ring adapted to be inserted through the slot, a substantially horizontal cap on the stud adapted to maintainthe retaining ring rotatable in a substantially horizontal plane, means permitting rotation of the retaining ring, and means auto matically; maintaining the globe gripping member Within the collar.

2. An attachment for an electric light globe in combination with an electric light fixture adapted for insertion of the globe, the attachment comprising a collar adapted to be inserted in the fixture in lieu of the globe, a substantially horizontal rim around the outside of the collar at the base-,the periphery-of; the rim turned downwardly, a substantially horizontal slot in the turned down rim; saidattachment further comprising at least one bottom ring of substantially, the same diameter as the horizontal rim, means attaching the bottom ring to the base of the rim; the attachment further comprising at least two spacers disposed on the bottom surface portion of the bottom ring, at least one globe gripping member, at least one rotatable retaining ring, means radially moving the globe grip: ping member in and: out of the collar between the spacers by-said rotatable retaining ring comprising a slot in the globe gripping member, a co-acting stud on the top surface portion of the rotatable retaining ring, the center line of the slot being at a suificient angle to the radius of the horizontal rim to be moved in and out thereof by the stud inserted in the slot, the rotatable retaining ring comprising a body portion of substantiallythe same diameter as the horizontal rim, a slot in the rim of substantially the same degree of curvature as the horizontal rim, aligned apertures through the horizontal rimand bottom ring, a fastener through said horizontal rim and bottom ring and adapted to securethe bottom ring to-the rim and rotatably support the retaining ring through the slot, handle means for the retaining ring comprising at least one-member disposed on the rotatable retaining ring, opposite end of said handle means-rotatably disposed through the horizontal slot in the turned down rim; said attachment further comprising means automatically maintaining the globe gripping member within the collar comprising at least one spira1 spring, one end of the spring attached to the rotatable retaining ring with globe gripping member within the collar and the opposite end I of the spring attached to the bottom ring.

HAROLD HARTMAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,567,064- $80133; DEC. 29, 1925 1,584,555 Kleine May 11, 1926 FOREIGN PATENTS Number, Country, Date 724,922 g a e-e -..V Eeb.-V 51.1932 

